Russian Revolution

There were two revolutions in Russia in 1917 - the second which established the first Socialist State had profound repercussions throughout the world, but especially within Europe. The Russian Revolution inspired similar challenges to state power in Hungary, Germany, Italy and the UK. Whether successful or not the mass movement generated by the Bolsheviks led ultimately to the formation of Communist Parties in most countries of the world. There were mass strikes in Glasgow and Belfast and in other industrial cities. State power, however, remained in the hands of the capitalists and as Gallacher said of the huge George Square demonstration of 1919; ‘We were carrying on a strike when we ought to have been making a revolution.’